I'm Back!

I have not posted an entry in ages!!! UGH! I have been knitting but slacking on my blogging. Time to get back on track. I will be sorting things out and will post an entry that brings my journal current.

Yet another scarf! Twinkle's Feather Scarf

I am really into chunky scarves this year. Twinkle's Feather Scarf from Twinkle's Big City Knits is a scarf that transcends all seasons. I used some luxurious Noro Lily Solid as a substitue for Twinkle Handknits Cruise. I think it is a great choice and it is disappointing that Noro Lily Solid is now discontinued. It is one of those yarns that has a funny weight. It is listed as Twinkle's Cruise but it is a lighter weight yarn.

Holding 4 strands of Noro Lily together results a fantastic drapey scarf.



More photos are on Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/cherie8knits/feather-scarf

Twinkle's Evening Shell

I am experimenting with Twinkle by Wenlan Chia chunky knits. I have all three of her books therefore, I made this shell to test sizing of Twinkle patterns for my body type...


I am pleased with the results! The Karate Jacket is next....


For my evening shell, I used Cascade Magnum, which is a very soft and lofty yarn. It is very similar to Twinkle Soft Chunky and is an less expensive, and also an excellent substitute. The color is called Celery. I see as more like a light 'Peridot', which is my birthstone. It is a heathered yarn which includes turquoise blue and soft yellow shades throughout. These photos are pre-blocking.



**Pattern Notes (for next time):** are posted on Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/cherie8knits/evening-shell

Brown Urchin Beret

Here is my beret in Twinkle Soft Chunky - Almond. I knitted this in less than 2 hours. This is definitely a great last minute gift. It will be on my Xmas gift giving list this year. For a change of pace, I think I will try it again using a different yarn.

Grey Urchin Beret!

Another Twinkle's Weekend Knits by Wenlan Chia design ready to wear...!

This year I am really into chunky knits. This is Twinkle's Urchin Beret done in Twinkle's Soft Chunky. The color is 27-Urchin, which is grey with a blue cast. It is an unusual, but sophisticated, neutral option that will go with everything. I really love this hat more than I anticipated. The pattern is very simple and the results are perfect. I will make this hat again.

Pattern Notes:

Needles: DPN US 17 and US 19

• Cast on with Size 19
• 4 rows of ribbing completed on Size 17
• Remainder of hat completed on Size 19
• Pay close attention to gauge. The hat has the potential to be too large

More...

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/cherie8knits/urchin-beret

Twinkle's designs are versatile and somewhat timeless. I love the instant gratification that super bulky yarn offers. Soft Chunky is a beautiful yarn that I cannot get enough of. Its hard to find, but it is well worth it and it is a great addition to the stash.

I am just getting my feet wet. I have tee'd up several Twinkle projects. I just received my Twinkle's Town & Country Knits. I got it for a great price on EBay. I would like to tackle one of the sweater patterns next. Picking a color is not easy. I want them all!

Twinkle, Twinkle Wisteria Scarf...Very Cool!!!

Another scarf! I quess I am really into this immediate gratification mode. I love this knit. This yarn, Twinkle's Soft Chunky, is very nice. The color, dusty rose, is so sophisticated. What more can I say. The only modification was that I knit more than 49 inches before casting off and applying the fringe. I love long scarves. This one is extra bulky! Say it again! Its awesome.

Ready for the weekend!

Noro Silk Garden Striped Scarf

Another fun and easy knit! This project was quite intriguing. You just can't knitting because you anticipate how the color unfold. Noro Silk Garden is a 'Cadillac' yarn. It is a thick and thin yarn that knits up dense but lofty. Colorways 8 (Blues) and 84 (Reds) are very vibrant and compliment each other well for this project. I started this project with Colorways 84 and 241 (Purples). The purple were more red toned than blue and therefore I started experiencing too much pooling and not the striping effect that I was looking for. I frogged and substituted the 8 for 241. I am really pleased with my decision. This is a beautiful scarf of muted rainbow colors. It will work well with weekend denim looks. I will make this scarf again but will offset a vibrant color palette with more neutral tones and/or black.

Pattern Notes:

- Cast on 39
- Slip stitch purlwise at each end on 2nd row or stripe pattern. Do not pull slip stitches too tightly. Make sure that there is relatively equal tension on each side. One side is more rigid than the other, so I had to make sure that the length stitches on the opposite side matched.
- Wet Blocking produces fabulous results with this yarn. SilkGarden is a thick and thin yarn. It smooths out the edges and uneven stitches.

More photos of my lovely scarf can be found at Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/cherie8knits/noro-striped-scarf